Railroad Forums 

  • Requirement of Trains' Horn Use on Street Crossings

  • General discussion about railroad operations, related facilities, maps, and other resources.
General discussion about railroad operations, related facilities, maps, and other resources.

Moderator: Robert Paniagua

 #1180922  by RearOfSignal
 
Engineer Spike wrote: Someone told me that the half position on the old pneumatic horn valves might not produce enough pressure to actuate the device, which sends the "horn blowing" signal, to the event recorder.
Even on the air lever horns as well. This is a reason why some engineers really lay on the horn. Have heard of incidents of trains striking pedestrians at stations, and while witnesses say horn sounded the event recorder said it didn't because engineer went half-way on the lever so as not to blow out ear-drums of people on platform.

Laying on horn should also reset alertness device, sometimes you can hit the horn and the alerter will not reset, in such a case chances are good that the event recorder didn't record horn blowing.

Why should engineer risk his job because of poor design, maintenance of horn mechanisms or for the sake of a few decibels?
 #1219474  by Desertdweller
 
Budsilver:

Yes, Gadfly was a former railroader and so was I. Until you have whacked a vehicle with a train (and I have) you just have no appreciation of what it feels like, or the thoughts that go through one's head. If that is condescending to you, then get used to it.

I would rather wake someone up any day than kill them.

Les